Cigar-bunching machine



July 5,1927.

w. H. SCHUSSLER CIGAR suncume MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15.1922 g3 \INVENTOR.

July 5 1927.

W. H. scHussLER" 0mm auucnme. MACHINE Filed Da e. 15. i I 3 shets sheetz I Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. SCHUSSLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THESCHUSSLER TOBACCO MACHINE CO. INC, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A.

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

GIGAB-BUNCHING MACHINE.

Application filed December then automatically fed to a desired point ofutilization, which may be a manually or au- 1 tomatically controlledweighing device or .any other sizingor registering device so thatthesprigs which contribute to form a single cigar and which are ofdifferent characteristics in order to obtainthe proper blend will bebrought into proper or assembled relationship. With the above and otherobjects in view which will hereinafter more fully appear my inventioncomprehends a novel construction and arrangement of a cigar bunchingmachine and a novel method ofmakig cigar bunches.

It further comprehends novel feeding mechanism, novel cutting mechanismand novel mechanism for feeding the long filler tobacco to othermechanism or mechanisms v which is to be subsequently treated such as,

for example. weighing mechanism and bunching mechanism. g ,7 c

It further comprehendsa novel conveyor and novel means for occasioningthe cyclical operations of the conveyor mechanism and the othermechanisms with which it cooper-' ates. I

It further comprehends novel means to automatically feed a leaf oftobacco, novel means to cut it into a desired length and I novel meansto deliver such lengths to weighing or sizingmechanism.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter morefully ap pear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying "drawings a typical embodiment thereof which is at presentpreferred by -me, since this embodiment will be found in practice to 7give satisfactory and reliable results- It is, however, to be understoodthat the various 13, 1922. SerialNo. 606,578.

instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organ ized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a cigar bunching machine, embodyingmy invention, and by means of which my method can be employed.

Figure 2 represents an end elevation thereof.

Figure 8 represents, in end elevation, a portion of the stopmechanismseen in Fig ure 2 but showing the parts in a different relation fromthat seen in Figure 2.

Figure t represents a section on line H of Figure 2.

Figure 5 represents a top plan view of. a conveyor in detached position.

Figure 6 represents, in front elevation, a guide member seen in Figure4.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings.

In accordance with my present invention, the operator has the differentblends from which the filler to be made segregated from each otherand aleaf is taken one at atime to cutting mechanism which automaticalllycuts the leaf to the desired length. The cut leaf or sprig of longfiller tobacco as it is called in the trade is then fed into dischargingposition and is automatically discharged to other mechanism such as, forexample, an automatic weighing scale, and from this scale the blendedtobacco is automaticallyfed into the pocket of the apron of the bunchingmachine which latter forms the bunch. 1 v

In this manner cigar bunches can be made of long filler tobacco in whichthe tobacco is accurately blended. The bunches are uniform both as tosize and as to weight desired and are of a soft spongy nature so thatthey will be free smoking. The machine can be operated by unskilledlabor. which is not familiar with the art of cigar making or with themachinery employed in the makingof cigars.

The first step in the cycle of the operation is the placing of theleaves of blended tobacco on a conveyor and I will therefore describethe ditlerent mechanisms in the logical. order inv which they arebrought into operation.

Conveying and feeding incc/iam's-m 1 designates a conveyor on which theleaves of filler tobacco are placed by the operator. The conveyor 1 isn'ovidcd with leaf holding members which, as illustrated, are in theform of lingers arranged in sets and pivotally supported at 5 by the convcyor at a desired height above its bottom. A keeper -11 is employed toretain the conveyor 1 in a support The lingers 2' as shown are pivotedto the upwardly extending lugs 7 carried by the conveyor 1. t3designates the leaves of tobacco. A tape 9 is secured to the conveyor 1by means of a fastening device 9 and this tape is connected to mechanismwhich ellects the return movement of the conveyor and also controls itsstep by step advance.

1O designates a weight to which is connected the free end of the tape 8which passes around a pulley 11 loosely mounted on a pin 12 carried bybrackets 13 carried by the frame 11:. It will thus be seen that thetendency of the weight is to effect the forward movement of the conveyor1.

The tape 8 passes partly around a pulley 15 and has its free endconnected thereto at 16. a stud 17 carried by the frame 14;. The pulley15 has fixed to it a pinion 18 which meshes with a gear segment 19having an arm provided with a roller 20 said gear segment being looselymounted on a stud 21 car ried by the machine frame 14. The roller 20 iscarried by a pin 22 and cooperates with a cam 23 havingat its peripherythe steps 2-1 and A. The cam 23 is fixed to a shaft.- 25 which is freeto revolve in the bearingrln'acle ets 17 or 26, see more particularlyFigure 1.

It will thus be understood that the conveyor 1 is advanced step by stepto cutting mechanism which will now be described.

GUHZ'OZK/ mechanism.

27 and 28 designate knives or cutters which are pivotallv supported onthe frame of the machine at 29 and 30, respectively, on the brackets 31and 32, respectively. said brackets being carried. by the conveyorsupport 5.

In Figure 5. I have shown in broken lines, the relative position of theknife 98 and the conveyor 1 during the feeding stroke of the latter inorder to more clearly illustrate the manner in which the long tillertobacco is cutto form the proper length of the springs. 33 and 84designate links which are connected by means of their respective studs35 and 36 with their respective knives 27 and 28.

The pulley 15 is loosely mounted on The links 33 and are pivotallyconnected at 36 and 37, respectively to the levers 38 and 39. The lever39 is fulcrmned at 10 to the machine frame and the lever 38 is fulcrnmedat 11 to the machine frame. The lever 39 has a cam 1-2 which cooperateswith studs 1:3 carried by the cam 23. The cam 23 is also provided withthe studs 4:1 which cooperate with the cam member forming a part of thelever 38.

After the leaves of tobacco have been fed in the manner described andcut. to form sprigs of long leaf tiller, the sprigs are as shown fedinto the scale pan of automatic weighing mechanism from which they aredischarged by discharging mechanism which will now be described.

Discharging incclmaismr 416 designates a bell crank leverfulcrumral atl? on the machine frame and controlled by a cam l8 ha vine camprojections -10 with which co-opcrate the roller of) loosely mounted onthe stud 51 carried by the lever 46. The cam is is fixed to the shaft25. Pivotally connected at 52 to the bell crank lever l6 is a link aswhich at its opposite end is connected to a lever 5-l and is providedwith a slot 55. The lcvci 31 has a grasping handle 56 to operate it. Thelink 5?) is provided with an arm 57 The lever 51'; is fixed to a rockshaft 551 to which is also fixed a lever which is weighted at its freeend and at its opposite end is pivotallv connected to a link at (51. Thelink (30 is pivotally connected by a rod 62 with the plunger rods 63 and6 1-, respectively which slide in and are guided by a bearing' membercarried by the conveyor support The plunger rods (33 and (El haveconnected to them a plunger head 6. and the ejecting members 68 whichare in the form of downwardly depending faces.

As will be best seen in Figure 4-, the arm 57 eo-operatcs with a stud 39carried by a lever T0. which fulcrumed to a rod 71 carried by bearings72- extending from the bearing forming member (35. The lever islilOVhlttl ith a dmvnwardly deflected arm '73. designates a lever theupper end of which fixed to the shaft 71. The lower ends of the levers 7with the fulcrum studs 5 and 7th respectively, to which are pivoted thelinks 77 and 78. respectively. The links 77 and 78 are ItiX'Jtl to thebar 79 which latter has also connected with it tobacco feeding members Sl in the form of fingers or projectimis. The bar 79 and its adjuncts isretained in its raised position by means of a cable 81 which at itsupper end is secured, as at $32 to the arm 73 of the lever 70 and at itslower end it is connected as at 83 to the bar 79.

53 idesin'i'iates the tobacco stop which is carried by the conveyorsupport 5 and is in 3 and M are provided the form of a plate having theclearance rod 85 through which the feeding fingers 80 are adapted topass during the operation. 86 designates the scale pan of the weighingmechanism which has a bottom 87 hinged theretoat 88. The scale pan isalso pivotally supported at 89 by the scale beam 90 which is providedwith an adjustable counterbalance 91, the position of which determinesthe weight of tobacco filler which is to be employed in making a. loosecigar bunch. The scale beam 90'is fulcrumed at 92 which latter ismounted in bearings 93 and 94, extending upwardly from the rolling table95 of. the bunching portion of the machine.

' The table 95 is supportedby the standards 96 and 97 which are carriedby the machine frame 14. 98 designates the rolling apron which issecured to the table 95 by means of the clamping plates 99 and 100,respectively. 101 designates the roller which is mounted in bearings 102and 103 carried by the slide 104.. The slide 104 is'slidablymounted onthe rods 105 and 106 which are carried by a support107 on the machineframe 14 and one of the standards 97, as at 108, see Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to'Figure 2, the frame 14, see alsoFigure 4, is

provided. with an arm 109 which carries a stud 110 which forms a fulcrumfor a lever 111 which is provided with abalanced weight 112. The upperend of the lever 111 is. provided with the stop or detent 113 whichextends beneath the scale beam 90. The

of a spring 116, theother end of which is securedto the frame and in asimilar manner the lever38 has connected to it one end ofa spring 117,the other end of which is connected to themachine frame. The tendency ofthese springs is tohold these res ective levers in their operativeposition.

he shaft 25 has loosely'mou-nted on it a pulley 118. The pulley 118 ispositionedon the shaft 25 by means of a stop pin 119, see Figure 1. Thepulley'118 has fixed to it a ratchet wheel 120; The shaft 25 has fixedto it an min 121 and this arm .is'provided with the laterally extendingstop pin 122.

y The arm 12].; is provided with a fulcrum pin 123 on which is fulcrumeda pawl 124 which latter is provided with an arm 125. Lugs 126 and 127are carried by'a ratchet wheel 128 which is loosely mounted on a shaft25 and is retained in position by a washer 129. 130 designates a springwhich is connected to the ratchet wheel 128Iand the arm 121.

In front of the tobacco stop 84, see Figure 4, and above thescale'pin86, a chamher 131 is provided, into which the tobacco filler fed duringthe operation. The rolling apron of the bunchil'lg machine forms in theusual manner a pocket 132. The downward movement of the arm 114 of thelever 111,. see Figure 2, is limited by a. stop 133 on the machineframe14. 134 is a driving belt.

The operation will now be readily apparent to those skilled in this artand is as follows r In Figures 1, and 2, the parts are shown in theinitial position which they assume. The operator has at oppositev endsof the machine the different sources of tobacco supply which it isdesired to blend, or if the tobacco is of the same kind, a supply is ateach end of the machine.

The operator places a single leaf of tobacco on the conveyor 1. Thepulley 118 which as before explained is loosely mount ed on the shaft 25is driven by means of any desired source of power which drives the belt134.

The ratchet wheel 128 is in the locked position seen in Figure 3 and theoperator moves the lever 111 to the left of the'position seen in Figure2 thereby causing the pawl 115 to be disengaged from the ratchet 128.This permits the spring 130 to partially rotate the ratchet 128 in acounterclockwise direction. The lug 126 carried by the ratchet 128-engages the arm 125 and moves the pawl 124 into mesh with the teeth ofthe ratchet 120 which is fixed to the pulley 118. This causes the shaft25 to revolve and also the cams 23 and 48, which are fixed to it, in thedirection of the arrow seen in Figure 2. I I

As the cam 23 revolves one of its steps 24 permits the roller 20 to movedownwardly due to the pull of the weight 10 by means of the tape 8 onthe pulley 15 which is inter geared with the segment 19. This causes astep by step advance of the conveyor 1. This brings the conveyor intocutting position beneath the knife 28. At this time the pin 43 comesinto the path of the cam 42 of the'lever 39 thereby drawing on the link34 and. thereby causing the cutter or knife 28 to make its out. Thespring 116 then causes the lever 39 to'be raised and thereby its link 34and knife 28 and the conveyor is advanced thenext step in the manner described. 'This brings the sprig of long leaf filler which has been cutinto position to feed it into the chamber 131. c This feeding cranklever 46 to raise the link 53 and thereby rock the lever 54 and the rockshaft 58 to which it is connected. It will be seen that as the link 53moves upwardly and before the shaft 58' is rocked, the arm 57in its upward'movement will permit the lever to rock due to the weight carried byits arm 73 so that the fingers will eject the sprig of leaf tobacco fromthe conveyor into the chamber 131. At this time due to the provision ofthe lever 54 and the link 53, the lever will engage the pin extendinginto such slot and carried by the lever 59 to rock the shaft 58 and atthe same time cause the rods 63 and 64; to move downwardly. This causesthe member 68 to feed the sprig of tobacco from the chamber 131 into thescale pan 86, the bottom 87 of which is at this time closed, by means ofasuitable spring carried by its fulcrum. In a similar manner to thatjust described, the other sprigs which have been cut from the leaf areautomatically fed into the scale pan. The conveyor 1 continues itstravel until it reaches the right hand portion of the machine, as indiated in dotted lines in Figure 2.

As before explained, the steps 2-1 on the ratchet 23 permit the roller20 to move downwardly but when the steps 24*. come into operation theycause the roller 20 to be moved upwardly step byv step thereby reversingthe direction of travel of the conveyor 1 and effecting its feedrearwardly instead of forwardly, as before explained. The onlydifference in the operation during the rearward stroke of the conveyor 1is the knife 27 does the cutting instead of the knife 28. The operatornew places 2 leaf of tobacco on the conveyor 1 and the sprigs are cutfrom it in a similar manner to that already described, except that theknife 27 has liflerent mechanisms for operating it than that of theknife 28. As the cam 23 revolves, a pin 44 contacting with the pawl 15causes the lever 38 to rock on its fulcrum 4-1 and thereby 'drawdownwardly on the link 33 to effect the cutting stroke of the knife 27.The lever 38 and its adjuncts is returned to initial position by meansof the spring 117. The forward and rearward stroke of the conveyor 1continues until a snflicient number of sprigs have been fed into thescale pan 8b to form the desired weight of filler. At this time thescale pan will drop due to the predetermined weight of tobacco which ithas recived thus permitting the lever 111 to swing to the right of theposition seen in Figure 2 thus causing the pawl 115 to engage theratchet 12?, see Figure 3, thus retarding the motion of the ratchet 128and causing the lug 12. to strike the arm 125 and move the pawl 24L outof engagement with the ratchet 120. This stops the machine. The operatornow takes hold of the handle 56 and rocks the lever 59 to cause theplunger to move down *ardly its full stroke and move the tobacco fromthe scale pan 86 into the pocket 132 of the rolling apron of thebunching machine. The plunger then returns to its initial position seenin Figure 4 due to the weighted end of the lever 59. A binder is placedon the apron when the hunch is formed in the bunching machine in theusual or conventional manner. After the tobacco is discharged from thescale pan its hinged bottom 8'? automatically closes due to the actionof its spring. The operator now moves the lever 111 into the positiondescribed to start the machine and the cycle of the operation isrepeated.

A long filler cigar ordinarily has from seven to nine sprigs of longleaf tiller tobacco in it and in accordance with my present invention,any desired blending of the tobacco can be made by unskilled labor andthe necessity of employing a skilled cigar maker is eliminated.

In so far as I am aware, I am the first in the art to devise a machineof this character wherein sprigs are automatically cut from a leaf andfed one by one to a sizing or weighing device and also automaticallydischarged to a bunching machine and it is therefore to be understoodthat I desire my claims to such features to receive the broad andgeneric interpretation to which a pioneer in the art is entitled. Itwill of course be understood that instead of placing one leaf at a timeon the conveyor a plurality of leaves can be placed thereon andautomatically cut and fed through the machine.

It will be apparent from the 'lorcgoing that my present inventionembodies a novel method of forming and feeding sprigs of long leaffiller tobacco to sizing or weighing mechanism and therefrom to abunching 1na chine.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful cigarbunching machine and method of making bunches which embodies thefeatures of advantage enumerated as desirable in the staten'ientof theinvention and the above description, and while I have, in the presentinstance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which willgive in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to beunderstood that this embodiment is susceptible of modification invarious particlars without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In a cigar bunching machine, tobacco feeding mechanism to feed oneleaf at a time, mechanism to cut one leaf of tobacco at a time intosprigs, mechanism to a mble the sprigs and means to occasion thecyclical operation of said mechanisms.

2. In a cigar bunching machine, tobacco leaf feeding mechanism to feedone leaf at a time, mechanism to mechanically cut one leaf at a timeinto sprigs, weighing mechanism in which the leaves are assembled andfrom which they are discharged, and means for occasioning the cyclicaloperation of said mechanisms.

3. In a cigar bunching machine, leaf feed- 5 ing mechanism, cuttingmechanism to which the leaves are fed and which cut a leaf at a timeinto sprigs, weighing mechanism to which the leaves pass from saidcutting mechanism in which the leaves are assembled, and from which theyare discharged 10 when a predetermined welght of sprigs is containedtherein, and means controlled by the discharge operation of saidweighing mechanism to stop the machine.

WALTER H. SOHUSSLER.

